Adjustable wrench



.|. F. OLIVER.

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

APPLICATION lFILED APR. 28,1919.- lplo,

Pmmte Non 2L 1922.

Patented Nov. 2l., i922.

NETE@ STATES l anatra rentrent onirica.

y JOSEPH E. OLIVER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 CLARENCE E.

WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, BIASSAGHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

Application filed April 28, 1919. Serial No. 293,044.

To all/whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. OLIVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in an Adjustable Wrench, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to adjustable wrenches of the type in which relatively movable jaw portions are adapted to be set at different distances apart, in order to receive work of' varying thickness.

The object of my inventionis to provide .a wrench ofthe above described type that may be quickly and easily adjusted fory different settings and which will maintain a given setting under all ordinary conditions of use.

Adjustable wrenches of this type, as heretofore constructed, have usually comprised a fixed jaw and a movable jaw adapted to have a number of different settings with respect to each other. In order to prevent the setting of the jaws from accidentally changing while the wrench is being used, various positive clamping devices have been employed in order to maintain the jaws in any given setting. Adjustable wrenches have also been provided in which the jaws are maintained in any given setting by means of the pressure exerted upon the jaws while the wrench is being applied to the work.

It is obvious that adjustable wrenches of the above described type must either be locked and unlocked every time their setting is changed, or the wrenches'must be handled with considerable care in order to prevent the setting from being changed before and after the wrench has been applied to the work.

By my invention I provide an adjustable wrench in which the setting may readily be changed without adjusting any clamping devices and which will retain a given setting regardless of how it may be handled before and after being applied to the work.

In the accompanying drawings,

lFigure l is a plan view of a wrench embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view along the line 3 3, Fig. l.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4 4, Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the different figures.

Referring to the drawings the wrench comprises the usual elongated shank or handle that terminates in an enlarged head l, the latter being provided at its end with a jaw 2. rlhe head l is provided ywith a lateral extension 3 having a plurality of teeth 4 along the upper edge thereof and extending in a straightline at substantially right angles to the working face 5 of the jaw 2. A second jaw 6 is provided with a bifurcated portion, as best shown in Fig. 2, the arms 7 of which embrace the extension 3 of the head 1. The jaw 6 is provided with a plurality of teeth 8 in the crotch of the arms 7 the teeth 8 being substantially of the same form as the teeth 4, so that when the teeth 4 and 8 are in engagement, the working face 9 of the jaw 6 is substantially parallel to the working face 5 of the jaw 2. The jaw 6 is pivotally and slidably mounted upon the head 1 by means of a pin or rivet l0 extending between the arms 7 and located in a slot 11 that is provided in the head 1. The extension 3 is provided with an opening 12 located between the teeth 4 and the slot 11. A compression spring 13 islocated in the opening l2 and is in frictional engagement at its ends with the arms 7 of the jaw 6, as best shown in Fig The spring 13 is under such compression that it tends to oppose movement of the jaw 6 with respect to the jaw 2.

The extension 3 is provided with a plurality of scale markings as indicated in Fig.

l, that are separated from each other by substantially the same distance as the pitch of the teeth 4. An index 14 on the jaw 6 is in line with the working face 9 of the jaw 6 and is adapted to register with any one of the scale markings on the extension '3 to indicate the distance by which the working faces 5 and 9 are separated.

In order to set the wrench the jaw 6 is moved upwardly about its pivot until the teeth are out of engagement with the teeth 4, whereupon it is moved bodily to the position in which it is desired. to set the wrench, as indicated by the index 14. The pivotal and sliding movement of the jaw 6 with respect to the jaw 2 is opposed by the pressure of the spring 13 upon the arms 7, so that a considerable force must be applied in order to move the jaw 6. It is apparent that when the jaw 6 has been set, it will remain in that position unless a force is applied to the jaw 6 tending to turn it about its pivot. Consequently kthe wrench may be held in any position before or after being applied to the work without any possibility of the setting of the jaw 6 being accidentally changed.

The above described action of the movable jaw is of particular advantage when using the wrench extended at larms length. It has been found that the jaw 6 can be set, while still holding the wrench, by means of the thumb vand oretinger, so that the Wrench can be readily applied 'to work 'of' 'different sizes without. withdrawing the wrench from the vicinity of the work. This would be impossible ywith a wrench having a positive clamping device for the adjustable jaw or with a wrench which depends upon the .pressure of the work to keep its setting.

Vhile I have shown my invention in a simple and preferred 'form it is not so limited, for it is apparent that the means for opposing relative movement of the jaws 'may be employed in wrenches differing inl specific construction from those shown in the drawings. I have also `shown the adjustable jaws as applied to only y'one end of thev shank or handle, but it isobvious that jaws `'may be provided at both ends, `thereby greatly increasing the'range of application of the wrench. I desire therefore that only such limitations be imposed thereon as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim, v

1. In an adjustable wrench, a shank pro vided ywith an enlarged head havingv a toothed portion, a jaw having a tooth portion and a bifurcated portion'embracing the .arms of the bifurcated portion, and ythereby opposing relative movementv between thejaw and the head.

3. In an adjustable wrench, ashank'provided with an enlarged head having a toothed portion and a recess, a movable-jaw having a tooth portion'and a-bifurcatedportion embracing the head `and vpivotally 'and slidfably mounted thereon, anda spring y,1ocated in the recess of saidhead andret'ained therein by the arms of saidbifurcat'edfportion, the said spring frictionally :opposing relative movement between thejawan'd the head.

4. Inan'adjustable Wrench, a shank Apro vided with an kenlarged head having a toothed portion7 a slot, and a recess-between the slot andthe toothed portion, a movable jaw havinga toothed portion land abiturcated portion pivotally connected :to the head by a pin engaging in said slot and a spring seated in said recess for trictionally engaging the arms of the lbifurcatedportion.

Dated this 21st day loi" April, 1919.

JosEPH fr. onivnn.

Witnesses i Nnnnrn WI-IALEN, PENnLorn UO'MBERBAGH. 

